Thread selector mechanism for stitching machine



Dec. 11, 1962 Filed Sept. 6, 1960 M. PEDERSEN 3,067,704

THREAD SELECTOR MECHANISM FOR STITCHING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.I

MATHIAS PEDERSEN AU'ORNEY Dec. 11, 1962 M. PEDERSEN 3,

THREAD SELECTOR MECHANISM FOR STITCHING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 6, 1960 INVENTOH. MATHIAS PEDERSEN BY -WK ATToRN EY Dec. 11, 1962 P sEN 3,067,704

THREAD SELECTOR MECHANISM FOR STITCHING MACHINE Filed Sept. 6, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 v N T 42 INVENTOR. MATHIAS PEDERSEN BY WKW ATTORNEY.

United ates Filed Sept. 6, 1060, Ser. No. 53,945 12 Claims. (Cl. 112-254) This invention relates to sewing machines and more particularly to improved thread feeding, tensioning and threading mechanism for use with such machine.

This invention relates additionally to novel thread selector and tension control mechanism so constructed that a plurality of sources of supply of thread are made available to the operator, and wherein at all times during stitching operations the thread is properly supported and tensioned. Furthermore, in accordance with the invention the operator can select fromthe several sources of supply the particular thread required for stitching a par ticular job and draw down from the supply a necessary quantity of thread to eifect the desired stitching operation.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a support having means for supporting a plurality of spools of thread from which can be pulled or drawn a selected thread in accordance with the wishes of the operator of the sewing machine provided with the novel mechanism. It will be seen that a device constructed in accordance with the invention makes it possible to more rapidly fulfill the requirements of one or more stitching operations by virtue of the fact that at all itmes there is ready at hand several different threads of various colors so that a large number of stitching operations can be taken care of without the need of the operator leaving the machine and searching for a thread of a particular color.

A preferred embodiment of the invention includes a plurality of thread selector and tension control arms pivotally mounted in a common support. Each of the arms is associated with a source of supply of thread, such as a spool of thread, the leading end of which is fed to its respective arm which in turn is adapted to be positioned adjacent the needle of the machine so that a threading device co-acting with the needle can pick up the loose end of the thread and pull it through the eye of the needle.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel thread supply and thread tension control mechanism for a sewing machine.

The invention further consists in the provision of a novel thread supplying mechanism for a sewing machine, wherein each of the plurality of sources of supply of thread is provided with a thread guiding and supporting means for insuring the proper disposition of the loose end of a selected thread adjacent the eye of a needle and a threading device which can be moved through the eye of a needle to engage the loose end of. said thread and pull it through the eye thereby threading the needle.

The invention is further characterized by the provision 'of novel thread feeding and tension control mechanism whereby damage to the thread and possible breakage thereof is substantially completely eliminated during all of the stitching operations of the machine with which this mechanism is associated.

v The invention is further characterized by the provision of a novel source of supply of thread capable of holding a plurality of spools of thread from which spools the free tension in the thread during the stitching operation of the machine and also maintain the thread clear of the path of travel of the needle during such operations.

tent O 3,067,704 Patented Dec. 11, 1962 "ice The invention is further characterized by the provision of a novel thread supply mechanism for a stitching machine having a plurality of supports for holding a plurality of spools of thread, the free ends of the thread on each spool being guided by similar means to a position adjacent a needle so that a particular thread may be selected and threaded through the eye of a needle in accordance with the requirements of the goods to be stitched.

It is an object of the invention to provide a novel thread supply mechanism having support means for a plurality of sources of supply for different colored threads and thread guiding and holding means for positioning the free ends of the threads of each of the several spools in position adjacent to a needle for rapid threading of a needle.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the appended claims in the accompanying drawings, in which is shown a preferred embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a thread supply and threading mechanism constructed in accordance with the invention; FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of a mechanism disclosed in FIG. 1, and

FIG. 3 is a side elevation shown in FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawings, the thread supply and threading mechanism disclosed is adapted primarily to be used for a button stitching machine in the type of copending Johnson et al. applications S.N. 20,142 filed April 7, 1960, and SN. 20,693 filed April 7, 1960, and also button stitching machines such as disclosed in Patterson et al., 2,739,550. However, it is contemplated that this mechanism can also be used with other types of stitching machines to which it can be adapted.

Mounted on frame F of the machine is a bracket 12, which in the form of the invention illustrated is provided with 4 spindles 14, 16, 18 and 20, each of which loosely rotatab-ly supports a spool of thread 10. While the thread on spools 10 as shown in the drawings is indicated to be of the same general type and thickness, nevertheless, each spool of thread may be different not only in color but also in type of thread, for example, one spool 10 may be cotton thread, another linen, another nylon, and also the thread can vary in thickness, type of twist and strength, so that a wide variety of threads can be fed from the spools 10 to needle N in accordance with the demands required imposed upon the sewing machine. In the case of sewing buttons upon work as for example, mens coats, womens suits and the like, it will be seen that quite a variety of types of thread may be required in the course of operating the machine over a period of time wherein a variety of garments have buttons attached thereto.

The loose end of thread of each spool is guided through a bore or hole 22 in a support bracket 24 secured to'the frame of the machine. After passing through bores 22 "the free ends of the threads from the several spools 10 are guided through bores 26 in a guide member 28 also secured to frame 10, and thence through holes 30 and 32 in selector arms 34, 36, 38 and 40 loosely pivotally mounted on pin 42 supported in the side walls 44 of a comb construction formed in the lower portion of guide 28 and supporting bracket 29, the latter being attached to frame F, as shown in FIG. 2. Selector arms or fingers 34, 36, 38 and 40, are spaced, as shown in FIG. 1 so that thread from the respective spools which they serve can be supported and guided freely without obstruction. However, the free ends of the selector fingers adjacent needle N converge in order thatthe loose end of the thread carried thereby may be disposed as near as possible to the needle and yet be held clear thereof and out of the path of travel of the needle as it moves back and forth through the holes of the button and the work or as it moves back and forth on opposite sides of the thread loops attaching the button to the work during the posting operations, as described in the Patterson et al. patent and the Johnson et a1. applications referred to above.

Each of the fingers or selector arms 3440 is of the same general construction and hence it is considered that it is necessary. only to describe one in detail. As seenin FIG. 2, it will be appreciated that each finger is generally V-shaped in appearance. For example, finger 49 is provided with a weighted arm portion 46 normally operative to bias its other arm portion 48 into a raised position, such as that occupied by the three other fingers 34, 36 and 38 in FIGURE 2. Each arm portion 48 is formed with thread guiding holes 30 and 32 and a thread T. supported thereby passes through hole 30, runs along the side of the arm as shown in broken lines in FIG. 2 and then emerges on the opposite side where it is disposed in position for threading through the eye of needle N.

When it is desired to supply a particular thread from a selected source of supply, as for example, the thread supported in arm 48 of finger 40, the operator grips the free unweighted arm portion 48 of finger 40 and pulls it downwardly. In so doing the end of arm portion 48 moves past nose 54 on locking lever 56 pivotally mounted on pin 58 supported in frame F of the machine. -In the position shown in FIG. 2, arm 48 is restrained by nose 54 of lever 56 against returning to its inoperative position so that the free end of the thread can be grasped by the thumb and forefinger of the operator, pulled out the desired distance and then held in the path of travel of threading hook 60 for threading the need-1e. Lever 56 is provided with a weighted portion 57 which tends to bias nose 54 into its operative position, as shown in FIG. 2, where it retains arm portion 48 of a selected thread selector finger in thread serving position until the operator desires to select another thread from one of the other spools of thread 10. When a different thread selector finger is selected by the operator, weighted portion 57 of lever 56 is moved upwardly, or in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 2. This movement results in a downward swinging movement of the arm portion 48 of the thread selector finger formerly engaged thereby, whereupon when nose 54 moves clear of the arm portion 48 referred to weighted portion 46 will return the particular thread selector arm to its inoperative position, or that occupied by thread selector fingers 34, 36 and 38, as shown in FIG. 2.

Threading hook 60 is mounted in a bore 62 in the threaded end of a rod 64 swingably supported in a lever 66 loosely swingably mounted on shaft 68 suitably supported in a bracket 7 attached to frame F of the machine. A clamp screw 61 on the threaded end of rod 64 is turned home against the end of hook 60 in bore 62 and thereby holds it firmly in operative position.

A spring 72 encircling shaft 68 having one end attached to lever 68 and its other end secured to collar 72 fixed to shaft 68 is tensioned as the result of the movement of hook 60 through the eye of needle N and swings lever 66 back to the position shown in FIG. 3 in full lines to cause hook tl to pull the thread through the eye of the needle N. It is apparent that spring 72 also maintains threading hook 6t} in its inoperative position, or that shown in FIG. 3. Plate 76 attached to bracket 70 limits the upward movement of lever 66 under the influence of spring 72.

In threading needle N, needle bar 80, which is the upper needle bar in the type of a machine disclosed in the above referred to Johnson et a1. applications and Patterson et al. patent is moved downwardly into threading position. The specific construction and operation of the needle bars and their operating mechanism forms no part of the present invention and is therefore omitted in the interest of brevity. After needle bar 80 has positioned needle N in the location shown in FIG. 3, the operator engages lever 66 and swings it downwardly in the direction of arrow A shown in FIG. 3, so that hook 60 is passed through the eye of the needle and into engagement with thread T. The same threading operation is used in threading any of the threads T selected from a particular spool. Upon withdrawal of hook T from engagement with the thread passing through the eye of a needle and the further pulling out of the additional thread required for the complete stitching operation, the machine is now ready for operation.

From a consideration of the structure shown in the drawings and referred to hereinabove, it will be appre ciated that an important function of the thread selector arms or fingers 3440 is to control the tension in the thread at all times, and also to insure that the fixed end of the thread, that portion of the thread extending between hole 32 of a selector fingers or arm and the eye of the needle is maintained out of the path of travel of the needle so that it cannot be spitted thereby or broken during the passage back and forth through the button and the work.

As shown in broken lines in FIG. 2, the lowermost limit of movement of the thread supporting end 48 of a tension finger, such as finger 40, is limited by the engagement of the upper surface 51 with bracket 29. In the operation of the'machine due to the gravity bias of the weighted arm portion, i.e., portion 46 of selector arm or finger portion 48 will be moved upwardly whenever the pull on the fixed end of the thread is released and downwardly in accordance with the downward movement of needle N as it passes through the work.

The mechanism made in accordance with the invention as noted hereinabove is better adapted for use in a button stitching machine of the type disclosed in the above mentioned Johnson et al. applications and Patterson et al. patent. There are three basic operations in the attachment of a button to the work in a machine of the type referred to. The first is the formation of a tack stitch or a simple stitch passing through the work. The second is the formation of a plurality of button attaching stitches in the form of loops of thread connecting the button to the work. In the type of machine disclosed in the applications and patent referred to a button is turned from a vertical plane into a horizontal plane spaced above the work. Finally, after the button has been attached to the work it is again returned to a position in which it lies in a plane at substantially right angles to the plane of supporting member holding the work and when so positioned a plurality of posting and thread locking stitches are formed which complete the button attaching operations, and the thread iscut by the operator preparatory to the next button stitching operation taking place.

Referring 0 FIG. 2, it will be noted that the operator has just threaded needle N and the machine is ready to make the first stitch. When needle bar 80 moves needle N downwardly through the work the free end 48 of finger 40 moves downwardly and comes to rest at a predetermined distance spaced above the work in accordance with the engagement of upper surface 51 of weighted end portion 46. of .arm 40 with bracket 29. As the needle moves through the work because of the novel manner in which thread T is fed from a spool 10, slack thread is pulled from this spool, thereby compensating for the additional thread required as the needle passes through the work and the loose end is pulled therethrough in known manner by a suitable thread puller (not shown). Thus the thread tensioning and control fingers disclosed herein insure against breakage of the thread or any damage thereto since they make it possible to supply automatically any and all additional thread which comprises the fixed end above referred to. At the same time the portion of the thread extending between hole 32 in arm portion 48 and the work is maintained and properly tensioned by weighted end portion 46 of finger 40 and clear of the path of travel of the needle. As a result of the turning of the button from vertical position to the horizontal position shown in FIG. 2, additional thread is pulled from spool and as a result the nose portion 48 of finger 40 will remain in substantially the same position as shown in broken lines in FIG. 2 with the thread properly tensioned and positioned clear of the path'of travel of the needle in this same manner as described. 7

It is important to note that during each pass of the needle through selected holes in the button and the work or in the work alone in accordance with the Patterned stitching operation of the machine which is not shown or described in detail herein because it does not form a specific part of the invention, finger nose portion 48 of finger 40 will move up and down as described above and the proper tension will be maintained on the thread at all times.

In the final stage of operations of a button stitching machine of the type referred to provided with the thread selecting, feeding and tension controlling mechanism of the invention, the tension on the thread at all times will be maintained properly in this same manner as just described, at the conclusion of the entire stitching sequence, the operator will merely cut the thread adjacent the post connecting the button to the work whereupon weighted end 46 will swing nose portion 48 upwardly into engagement with nose 46 of lever 56 so that the free end of the thread is disposed closely adjacent the needle ready for threading.

The invention provides a simple and efficient mechanism for supplying to a sewing machine a selected thread from a plurality of sources of supply of diflerent colors and/ or types of thread. It also makes available mechanism in which the selected thread supplying device not only properly disposes the free end of the selected thread adjacent the needle to be threaded, but also is operative during the entire stitching operation in maintaining the selected thread properly tensioned out of the path of travel of the needle and at the same time the invention makes it possible to provide additional slack thread, thereby preventing breakage or damage to the thread.

What I claim is:

1. A thread supplying and threading mechanism for a sewing machine, comprising a plurality of support elements, each operative to support a spool of thread, guide means for the free end of the thread drawn from each of said spools, selector arms for positioning a selected thread closely adjacent a needle to be threaded, and means pivotally mounting each of said selector arms for oscillatory movement concurrently with the movement of said needle to support and tension the thread between the free end of said arm and said needle.

2. A thread handling and tension controlling mechanism for a sewing machine having means for passing a threaded needle back and forth through work to be stitched comprising a source of supply of thread, a pivotally mounted lever having a weighted end, and a thread holding and supporting end remote therefrom for positioning the free end of a length of thread adjacent said needle for threading, thread guides in said last-named ends providing means frictionally securing said thread against removal from said guides, said weighted end being operative in response to the movement of said threaded needle into said work and the concurrent downward movement of said thread holding end of said lever supporting the thread between said end and said needle to tension the thread between said needle and said thread holding end of said lever and regulate the feed of slack thread through said guides in accordance with the demand for thread imposed during each stitching cycle.

3. The invention defined in claim 2 including means 6 V for limiting the extent of downward movement of said thread holding end of said lever, and other means for limiting the extent of upward movement of said end of said lever during each stitching movement of said needle.

4. A thread handling mechanism for use with a sewing machine comprising a thread supporting and tensioning finger, means movably mounting said finger with a thread holding portion thereof disposed closely adjacent the path of travel of the needle and with the thread extending from said portion through the eye of said needle, whereby when said needle is moved downwardly through work to be stitched said portion also is moved downwardly in response to the pull of the thread supported thereby, and means for biasing said portion in the opposite direction for tensioning the thread extending between said portion and said eye of said needle when said needle is moved upwardly out of said work.

5. The invention defined in claim 4 including means limiting the extent of downward and upward movement of said thread supporting portion of said finger.

6. The invention defined in claim 4 wherein said biasing means includes a weighted section of said finger remote from said thread holding portion, and means in said holding portion frictionally holding thread against unwanted movement.

7. A thread handling mechanism for a sewing machine comprising a source of supply of thread, guide means for supporting and guiding the free end of the length of thread, including a movable arm operative to dispose said free end of said thread adjacent a needle to be threaded, said movable arm including a thread guiding and tensioning member having a weighted portion, and a thread guiding portion remote from said weighted portion, pivotal support means mounting said movable arm for movement into and out of operative position disposing said free end of said thread adjacent said needle, and means engaging said thread guiding portion of said arm to maintain it in said operative position.

8. The invention defined in claim 7, wherein said lastnamed means comprises a locking lever, said lever having a nose engaging said thread guiding portion of said arm, and means for maintaining said nose positioned to present movement of said thread guiding portion of said arm out of operative position proximate said needle.

9. Thread handling and tension controlling mechanism for a sewing machine having means for passing a threaded needle back and forth through work to be stitched comprising a plurality of individual sources of supply of thread, a selector arm for each of said sources of supply of thread, including means for disposing a selected thread adjacent the needle of a sewing machine for threading, means pivotally mounting said selector arms whereby a selected arm can be moved into operative position, and means common to all of said selector arms for maintaining said selected arm in said operative position.

10. Thread supporting and feeding mechanism for a sewing machine having means for reciprocating a needle to pass it back and forth through work to be stitched comprising a plurality of supports, each being operative to hold an individual supply of thread, guide means for each thread drawn from each supply, a thread supporting and feeding arm for each free end of thread supported in said guide means, each of said arms having means for disposing the free end of the thread carried thereby adjacent said needle, and means pivotally mounting each of said arms with said thread disposing means thereof located closely, laterally adjacent each other whereby the distance of each or" said means to said needle is substantially the same.

11. The invention defined in claim 10 including means for incapacitating the operation of all but one of said arms at any one time, whereby a selected thread can be threaded through said needle and wherein said selected arm can oscillate concurrently with the movement of said needle and the thread carried thereby will be sup- 7 ported and tensioned between said disposing means and said needle.

12. The invention defined in claim 10 including means for normally biasing said disposing means away from Work to be stitched, and wherein said pivotally mounting means of said arms position the portions of said arms remote from said disposing means in diverging spaced relationship to accommodate slack thread movement rearwardly through said guide means in response to the movement of a selected arm and its disposing means away ,from said work.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Knight 1- Feb. 25, 1919 Rozdilski May 5, 1931 Dickey Sept. 8, 1931 Howell Feb. 6, 1940 De Palma Jan. 13, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany May 31, 1935 

